Merlin's Guide to Reading a Book
by Mischel
Summary: It's a stormy night in Camelot and Merlin just had an argument with Gaius. He hides in Arthur's chambers to finish reading his book in peace. Of course, the prince wakes up and is not very happy to find Merlin there. One shot; Merthur; first kiss.


**I'm back with another fanfic, successfully ignoring my two WIPs and school work. I hope you enjoy it! :) It's written for artypendragon's merthur kiss fest 2018 (on LiveJournal, Tumblr).**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

 **MERLIN'S GUIDE TO READING A BOOK**

 **...**

It was dark already, very late evening in Camelot. A storm was raging outside, the heavy raindrops beating against the cobblestones loudly. Lightning together with thunder appeared from time to time.

But other than that, it was a very peaceful evening. Well, almost night.

Merlin was crouched over his book, with only a few candles around as illumination. He was sitting on the cold ground next to a closed window, hidden in Arthur's chambers while the prince was sleeping in the bed, snoring softly.

He turned the page with a smile. It was quite an enjoyable book. It was about the world outside of Camelot, even about the lands that existed across the sea, like Hispania, Gaul or Egypt. Places that Merlin would most likely never visit, but those he could at least read about in this book.

He turned another page and, to his delight, found it filled with a drawing – an old map. While a loud thunder sounded outside, Merlin grinned with excitement as he studied the map thoroughly.

Suddenly, a weak voice from the bed whispered, "Merlin?"

Merlin gasped with surprise and quickly turned his head, but soon realized it was only Arthur talking in his sleep. He knew that Arthur did that, although it wasn't often that Merlin caught him doing it. He let out a sigh of relief – and apparently, tonight Arthur was dreaming about him, which brought a smile to Merlin's face. He turned his attention back to the book and began reading it quietly again.

It took another twenty minutes for Arthur to speak up. "Merlin?" This time though, it sounded different. Merlin carefully and slowly looked up at the prince, and just as he feared, he found a very confused and sleepy Arthur looking at him.

Merlin pursed his lips, staying silent while Arthur blinked a few times to wake himself up. A few seconds passed and no one said anything, until Arthur finally frowned in confusion at him, looking annoyed.

"What on _earth_ are you doing here?"

Merlin didn't know how to answer. "Sorry," he shrugged after a while.

Arthur closed his eyes again, just briefly, and then groaned and sat up, staring down at Merlin properly. "That doesn't answer my question, Merlin. What are _you_ doing inside _my_ chambers at this hour?"

"I thought you might need me?"

"For what?" Arthur asked incredulously, unintentionally raising his voice a little bit.

Merlin only shrugged again and vaguely gestured around, clearly not knowing what to say other than the truth. Arthur sighed and noticed a book next to his servant as well as candles. "Well, obviously, the correct answer is that you're reading a book."

Merlin looked down at the book guiltily and sighed.

"Why aren't you reading it by your own bed and instead decided to read it by mine?" Arthur frowned down at him, still too tired to stand up.

"I . . . Gaius and I had a little fight, I came here to clear my mind and finish reading the chapter before coming back."

Arthur visibly relaxed and his frown turned from annoyance to concern. "Oh."

"Just go back to sleep, I'll leave in . . . " Merlin quickly turned the next few pages until he found the end of the chapter. He raised his eyebrows, "huh, um . . . in about an hour."

"An hour?" Arthur exclaimed, his annoyance returning. "I can't go back to sleep when you're in the room, Merlin."

"Why not, you've done so many times in the past in the forest."

"But that's different, I don't have a choice."

"Why can't you fall asleep with me here?"

Arthur groaned. "I just can't and I order you to stop asking such stupid questions. I don't have to answer them anyway."

Merlin smirked up at him. "As you wish, sire." He nodded at him mockingly and returned to his book. "You don't have a choice tonight either though, because I'm not leaving."

"No, Merlin. You are."

"I'm really not." Merlin shook his head, not even looking up at Arthur.

"You are."

Merlin shrugged. "Hm, I'm not."

" _Mer_ lin."

"Arthur." Merlin finally looked up at him, his expression clearly saying that he would not change his answer.

Arthur sighed and tried a different approach. "What about Gaius then. Isn't he worried about you and where you are?"

"Nope, I told him." Merlin again shook his head while he studied the page of the book.

Arthur groaned again, more loudly this time. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes to rid himself of the drowsiness and finally stood up, going to take a look at what book Merlin was so invested in.

"What book could be more important than my sleep anyway?" he asked as he stood behind Merlin and looked down over his shoulder.

"It's a book about the world. There are maps and descriptions as well as foreign fairytales."

Arthur frowned as he stared down at the map. Then he narrowed his eyes with suspicion and quickly bent down and snatched the book away from Merlin.

"Hey!"

He looked at the spine and the cover of the book and his eyes widened. " _Mer_ lin!" he hissed. "This is a forbidden book! It mentions magic!"

Merlin rolled his eyes because obviously, he already knew that.

"It's not forbidden for me." He tried to grab the book, but Arthur turned around, moving it out of the way. "I have magic, which means I can read it." Merlin rounded the prince and grabbed the book firmly.

"There's no such rule Merlin. It doesn't work like that."

"And who's to say?" Merlin snapped quietly and pulled at the book, while Arthur still held it in place.

"The king is," Arthur reminded him.

"Then why did he leave it in the library?" Merlin smirked. His eyes flashed gold and Arthur suddenly let go of the book, feeling a strong and irresistible urge to scratch his butt. "Ha!" Merlin got the book and quickly went to sit down by the window again.

"That's cheating!" Arthur hissed at him but didn't try to take the book again.

Merlin didn't mention the fact that although it indeed was in the library, it was also hidden in a secret room that he'd discovered right before setting the Goblin free.

Arthur didn't seem to mind anymore as he sat down next to Merlin, still sulking that he didn't get to sleep. He sighed and stared down at the map that Merlin was studying. There were inscriptions like _Hispania_ , or a big _Mare Nostrum_ that was written across an area that must have been water.

"Why do you care so much about the book?" Arthur asked after a while, his voice finally calm.

"Well, it's very unlikely I'll ever get to visit those places, so I like to read about them. With a little bit of imagination, it almost feels like I'm there."

Arthur thought about this. Then, "who says you can't visit them?"

Merlin stopped and slowly looked up at him. "I've got to stay here. Who else would take care of you and save your royal ass every other day."

Arthur rolled his eyes and playfully shoved him. Merlin smirked, shoved him back, and returned to the book. Of course, Arthur knew all about their shared destiny. They'd had the talk a long time ago. But still . . . there was no prophecy saying that Merlin couldn't travel.

After another moment of silence, Arthur opened his mouth and said, "I could go with you . . . if you want."

"What?" Merlin looked up at him again, confused. Arthur rolled his eyes. He hoped he wouldn't have to explain further. "If you wanted to travel to those places, I would go with you, Merlin. That way you wouldn't have to worry about me all the time."

"I'm not worried about you," Merlin scoffed, knowing well that it was a lie. Before Arthur could say anything though, he nodded and offered Arthur a smile. "But . . . thank you."

Arthur returned the smile and nodded.

They both returned to reading the book, and when Merlin turned the page and found another map with a grin on his face, Arthur couldn't help but smile. Yes, it was a forbidden book and he hoped Merlin would return it to where he'd found it as soon as he was finished reading it, but at the same time, he loved seeing Merlin so happy like this. These days, it was quite a rare sight.

Lightning and a very loud thunder interrupted their reading session as a wind that had squeezed through the closed window blew out the candles. Merlin and Arthur found themselves in darkness, both of them jumping with surprise at the loud storm outside.

"I didn't know you were scared of a little storm, Merlin," Arthur teased him, mostly to feel better about himself.

Merlin saw right through it. "I could say the same about you."

Arthur frowned, but let it go. Merlin whispered something under his breath and all the candles relit at once.

"Also, is this what you call _a little storm?_ "

Arthur's frown deepened, and he didn't let it go. "I've seen worse."

"Well, then that must have been before I came to Camelot," Merlin smirked. "You could even say my arrival made the weather better for you. I clearly make your life better."

"For God's sake, _Mer_ lin, would you shut up?"

"Why, are you out of good comebacks?"

Arthur considered yelling, but then he just sighed and nodded, accepting defeat. Merlin grinned but then apologized.

"Sorry," he told him. "I should go and apologize to Gaius. All three of us might feel better after that, and at least you could go to sleep and continue dreaming about me."

Arthur's face paled and his eyes widened. "Wh-what?" he cleared his throat. Merlin realized his mistake too late. They stared at each other for a moment before Arthur sighed and gave up. "You know."

Merlin closed the book and smiled up at him. "I didn't watch you sleep, if you're worried about that, but you do snore and sometimes mumble words . . . or my name."

Arthur blushed, and Merlin finally realized that this was the whole reason Arthur didn't want to sleep with Merlin inside the room. In the forest, it was indeed different. Arthur had to stay alert even while asleep, which meant he rarely had any dreams. But safe inside his chambers? His dreams probably soon became wild.

Merlin also blushed when he realized that sometimes (quite often, actually) he had dreams about Arthur too.

A very awkward silence followed, only accompanied by the loud rain outside.

This was the moment Merlin chose to clear his throat and stand up. Arthur had wanted him to leave so he could go to sleep, and Merlin should have left then.

"I- I think I should go," he mumbled as he grabbed the book.

Arthur stood up as well, still red in the face, and to be completely honest Merlin felt guilty. He shouldn't have exposed Arthur like that. If his dreams were normal and Merlin just happened to be in them from time to time, he wouldn't be this ashamed and awkward about them. Everyone had dreams about their friends, family, and other people they knew or met. If Arthur's dreams were . . . well . . . _different_ , just like Merlin's dreams were though . . .

Merlin took a deep breath and made a very very very stupid decision. He offered Arthur a smile and shrugged like it was all okay. "If it makes you feel better, I dream about you, too."

His heart was racing and his cheeks were still pink. Technically, he didn't tell Arthur what kind of dreams about him he had, but Arthur wasn't stupid and could do the math just like Merlin did a moment ago. After all, dreams tended to reveal hidden feelings.

Arthur's eyes were wide with disbelief, and Merlin had to clear his throat again so that he wouldn't feel so awkward. It didn't help. He quickly looked down (though he couldn't help but stop at Arthur's lips for a fraction of a second), and he stepped away, slowly heading for the door.

"Good night, Arth-" he said but was interrupted when Arthur grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving.

Merlin paused and turned to look at Arthur again, whose eyes were still wide and so scared but somehow also determined. He let go of his wrist, and instead his hand travelled up to Merlin's elbow and then his shoulder.

Arthur's eyes dropped down to Merlin's lips and then back up.

"Arthur, I-"

"Merlin-"

They both started talking simultaneously and neither finished.

Suddenly, Arthur's determination left his eyes completely and he blinked a few times, letting his hand drop down from Merlin's shoulder. "I . . . I just wanted to say sorry . . . if it makes you feel uncomfortable that I dream about you."

Was he . . . was he seriously chickening out? Arthur Pendragon? The confident and handsome prince of Camelot? The best swordsman in the five kingdoms? The famous _once and future king_ of the prophecies?

Arthur looked down and stepped away slowly.

Yes, yes he was.

And Merlin was having none of it.

Yet again, he was there to save Arthur because it was his destiny to do so, and also because he was in love with him and couldn't simply walk away anymore and keep ignoring it.

"No," Merlin said firmly, making Arthur look up again. His heart was racing and he almost couldn't breathe, but at this point he didn't care. Arthur was brave in everything but love, and he obviously needed help.

"No, it doesn't make me uncomfortable, you dollophead," he told him and carefully threw the book on Arthur's bed. The prince didn't even notice. "It makes me want you even more."

Arthur's eyes widened, but he didn't have the time to react in any other way because Merlin was already closing the distance between them and grabbing his head, smashing their lips together. It was a big shock, but Arthur melted into the kiss in a matter of seconds and desperately held onto Merlin's jacket. The kiss was desperate and very passionate, and neither of them wanted to stop it.

But at that moment, it was another loud thunder that made them jump and end the kiss. They stayed in an embrace though, staring at each other, both panting and not being able to think straight.

"Would you consider not leaving yet so we could continue . . . uhm, _reading_ the book, Merlin?" Arthur asked with a big grin on his face, hoping that Merlin would understand what he was trying to say.

Merlin returned the grin. "Me? Leaving? Who said anything about leaving?"

Arthur laughed and in the next moment, they were kissing again. Slowly this time, enjoying every second of it.

It was still very dark outside and the storm continued raging in Camelot. Occasional lightning ripped through the sky, but other than that, it was still a very peaceful evening. Most people were sleeping.

Except for two young idiots inside the prince's chambers, who were still up, uhm . . . _reading_ a book.

THE END

 **Note: Since the legend of king Arthur dates back to the 5th century Britain, and in BBC Merlin everyone is somehow _magically_ *Uther gasps* able to read and write (including Merlin and his mother who literally grew up in a small village), I decided that this was an old Roman book that Merlin found. Therefore I used old Roman place names. _Hispania_ is Spain, _Gaul_ is present-day France and Belgium, Luxembourg, etc. and _Mare Nostrum_ is the Mediterranean sea. I know BBC Merlin happens in a fictional world with magical beasts, dragons, etc. but I really love doing this :DD **

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! All reviews are appreciated :)**


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